Wicked thoughts don't make a wicked person

[humble soul]

I definitely don’t think wicked thoughts make a person wicked as long as you don’t act upon those thoughts. I have not so great thoughts when angry are sad. I think it’s part of being a human being.

Glad to communicate with a fellow human being.

 

[LovethroughDove]

Matthew 6:13 'And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'

Jesus taught us to pray about this particular subject.

I personally rebuke any thought that is disturbing, cause that would be from the evil one. I thought it was a joke when they would show an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Words matter and the words that go through our minds matter.

 

[JLB]

"I will pray for you". ...is one of their fave lines. But of course they are being sincere in most cases. Thing is they don't realise how patronising it sounds. I try not to use it myself.

Who is the “they” you are referring to?

Christians?



JLB

 

[Edward]

It's so easy for Bible Christians especially, to sound high and mighty. Even when they think they are being sensitive. When they "know" they have scriptural authority, it gives them a false sense of security. In my opinion of course.

Don't misunderstand me Brother. I am no one. I am a nobody. I am not high and mighty. My Lord is high and mighty. I speak of Him.

I have my struggle with unbelief also. But what am I to do with it? Shall I come here and speak unbelief? So I got out of the boat one day. Yeah, I want to walk on water. I got three steps (!!!) and my Doctors were screaming at me from the deck, Ed you're going to drown, you're going to drown!! And I started to sink in my unbelief. 'Lord, be with me' ...and He was. I did not drown. That is a fact Brother.

So do I come here and testify to my Brothers & Sisters how my docs were right because I almost drowned?! No I wont. I believe that I have "less" of a problem with unbelief than the young lady does. The difference is I do not speak of my unbelief's and hold up the world as something superior to almighty God. I will, through an act of my will even through my unbelief and non understanding, hold up my Lord's Words and Promises as literal truth, because it is true. It is really true.

Where did that get me? Well over a period of time of guarding my tongue and unbelief, The Lord God has done so much for me. You know that I have a zillion testimonies, Brother. May I share 8 or 10 of them with you?!

I don't speak about my failures very much. I do not come here and chant I am drowning I am drowning. Do I have any unanswered prayers? Of course I do. But those pale in insignificance to when He has answered many of them. The Lord...is silent to me about some things. I guess He wants me to figure some things out for myself. I can only surmise that He wants to see if I really desire to seek Him, or if I am merely wanting to see a magic show.

I didn't question the young lady's faith. I did question her unbelief. We all have that to some extent. She as made very plain that she is drowning, ok? So there is some unbelief. And I just asked, may we hear about your Lord and God? And what was her reply? Don't you know that I am drowning? Not. One. Single. Word. About. GOD.

Brother, these things should not be. We serve the same God. I know this Lord enough to know that He is higher than diabetes. He is higher than anxiety. And where I have unbelief, I will continue to hold up the words of my Lord and God over those who be so called the wisest in the world. Why? Because Brother, the power of life and death are in the tongue and I will not hold up her infirmities as anything superior or something that can not be overcome

You have spoken of personal failures. And you have also spoken of your Lord and what He has done for you. Ok then, you sound real. Correct me if I am wrong here, but I don't think that I have heard the young lady speak one single positive word about her Lord yet. I would like to hear something about her Lord. Is that too much to ask?

I humiliated one of my doctors one time in front of about 5 or 6 of his interns. I tried to speak to him of my experience with mine own infirmities, because I have this condition most of my life so I know very much about it. And this young buck of a doctor tried to browbeat me with his education and degrees and so forth. I had to shove this back down his throat. How can you come in here read my chart for two minutes and think that you know more about my condition than I do? That is wrong, short sighted and not at all how the medical field works. It operates within the experience and input from the patient. Oh you hurt here, ok to treat that we...and all of his interns laughed pretty loud. So he was humiliated and walked out. The older and wiser doctor that was with them observing then stepped forward and told, that I am absolutely right. So my point here is, my experience with my Lord...is real. And He did save me from drowning. So He can save her from drowning also. And I don't feel like I can encourage this young lady's unbelief with sympathy as a few others have done. No sir, my God is high. My God is Mighty.

This young lady, a Sister in Christ, has refused to discuss any scripture or spiritual aspect of how it relates to her and her struggles. She wants only to discuss that she is drowning. So it begs the question...why is she here then? This is a forum board for the Almighty God. Jesus, Yeshua, the Christ! What does she expect? I am NOT high and mighty. I am nothing. But my Lord is and you yourself Brother, you know this for you have spoken of it.

 

[Edward]

It was mentioned twice now in this thread, about the good angel and the bad angel who sits on our shoulders arguing back and forth. The truth is as I have discovered, that is actually our soul and our spirit within us arguing, they will never agree, and we are always presented with making the choice. Will we listen to our soul or will we listen to our spirit.

Be ye led by the spirit.

 

[Edward]

Are you questioning my faith? Seriously? That's low.
My experience with mental illness is actually a big part of my testimony

Please accept my apologies Sister. I must have been unclear to you. I am not trying to be judgmental or question your faith. Correct me if I am wrong here, Sister, but while you have been very clear that you are in essence drowning...did you not indicate to us underneath your avatar, that you have a life preserver with you? THE Life preserver, Jesus? Ok Sister bless you. I believe you and praise the Lord for that!

That said is it ok if we could discuss one single verse from the bible? I will give mine own interpretation of what I believe this means, and then you can then give your interpretation of it and perhaps even explain brefly to me if I have taken this verse out of context. Is that fair? I think so.

The verse is 1 Peter 3:15
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:.../

So, since you are a saved believer and Christ is within you, I asked, and ask now, could you tell us something about the Lord within you and how He may have touched your life and given you a hope?

Because I feel as if we have heard enough about your problems. I want to hear something hopeful. In your words. Come on, Sister. The Lord IS good. I know it and I'll happily tell you all of my testimonies. That verse above tells us to do this thing. To speak of Him! Or am I wrong? Out of context maybe?

Would you like to hear something encouraging about me? The hope within me? Would you like to hear about some supernatural help that the Lord blessed me with?
The time He healed my dislocated hip when I asked Him to?
The time He hid me under the shadow of His wings while 3 police cars were searching for me to arrest me?
Maybe you would like to hear about the time I was 2300 down. Two full months behind in rent (2000) and I also had a $300 dollar utilty bill shut off notice for Monday morning with that day being friday afternoon, and I had $0 money in my pocket. I was having a garage sale and the landlord strolled up and handed me an eviction notice and left. You bet I prayed. And within two hours one strange man (an Angel of the Lord) came to my garage sale and bought a table full of junk household knick knacks off of me and said is 1900 enough? No? How about 2400 then? And bought it to my Amazement!! After he left as I was walking back in I put my hand in my pocket and felt the bundle of 100 $ bills and said, Praise the Lord...and it hit me. I had prayed. THAT was an Angel! (that's thee short version, the long version is much deeper) ...So how many Sister? Which one? For I will indeed share with you.
Oh, I know Wanna hear about the time a Brother in Christ bought me a new NIV bible so we could have the same translation as him and bible study over the phone...and then one day, The Lord supernaturally changed this same NIV bible into A NKJV Bible, and left my underlinings and highlights in it?! And there are two different Brothers in Christ which both know the truth of what happened ( IT WAS A NIV Bible before) and I could put you into contact with them and they will attest to this truth!. ...?? Say the word.

This is what we're supposed to do...I think? Is that right? The verse, Sister. Please?

 

[humble soul]

Wicked thought for the day........start my own forum
Also unrealistic and delusional at the same time

 

[humble soul]

Bothers in Christ
This thread idea must have come inadvertantly from a thread that was closed a few weeks ago. It wasn't deliberate. A member said they wished their mother dead.
Now at first glance it is a troublesome admission. But put yourself in the place of a full time carer. Looking after a difficult unappreciative parent. Perhaps they have dementia. They might be giving you verbal abuse daily. As the true picture reveals itself, it's hard not to have genuine empathy. See it's easy to spout platitudes like "just love another". But have you really been tested? Only those who have really been tested in this life, have a right to advise us to love neighbour. And when someone admits to wanting their mother dead, ponder further what would drive someone to say that.

 

[humble soul]

But often what you will find is, the ones who have really had to dig deep and love a difficult person, and not run away from the situation, do not advise others much on loving one another. Less preachy and more real.
Oops about to boast about my decent parents again.....

 

[LovethroughDove]

Wicked thought for the day........start my own forum
Also unrealistic and delusional at the same time

That is not a very wicked thought.

A disturbing/wicked thought would be............I should eat my kid's eyball

That is what happened to a guy back in 2009 and he acted on it.

 

[humble soul]

2nd wicked thought of the day:
I am strong
I am invincible
I am Catholic !

 

[Edward]

Bothers in Christ
This thread idea must have come inadvertantly from a thread that was closed a few weeks ago. It wasn't deliberate. A member said they wished their mother dead.
Now at first glance it is a troublesome admission. But put yourself in the place of a full time carer. Looking after a difficult unappreciative parent. Perhaps they have dementia. They might be giving you verbal abuse daily. As the true picture reveals itself, it's hard not to have genuine empathy. See it's easy to spout platitudes like "just love another". But have you really been tested? Only those who have really been tested in this life, have a right to advise us to love neighbour. And when someone admits to wanting their mother dead, ponder further what would drive someone to say that.

I used to be a much different person than I am now. I've never really been a punk but I have always been very indignant about people doing things to me or falsely accusing me. And I had what I thought was an honorable heart but felt justified unto revenge for being done wrong. Maybe my spirit was new but my soul was the same. But after my accident and I recommitted my life to the Lord...these past 11 years now the thing that the Lord has been teaching me most and is always coming back to, is that he is not an angry God but a loving God. And loves us more than we comprehend. This repeated teaching to me has over time changed my heart. do not react the same as I used to. I am able to see the changes within me. And I am able to see things a bit better than I used to. And I know these things are real.

our Lord, my Lord. has shown me that He IS high. He IS mighty. The enemy is no match for our Lord. He is Almighty God. And He is so mighty that if He were to turn up the volume of his glory and presence, He would not even have to engage the enemy. He would destroy them with the brightness of His approach. The enemy will die immediately He is so mighty. Ad if you think about it, Jesus only did what He sees and hears the Father do and say. And we know that Jesus said He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. So we actually have the entire trinity within us. And my friend, if God be with us, then who could stand against us. I know that He is mightier than any ailment. He is bigger than diabetes.

So this should be on everyone's lips. That is huge. So to brush off scripture and to talk as if an ailment is mightyer or something shows that there's something else going on too. And no person is the enemy. I am not, you are not, the young lady is not. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and evil spirits. It is all of the demonic oppression that we all are under. And lately they have turned up the volume on the spiritual attacks on people because time is short. So I think if some of us pray for this young lady that she be protected, given wisdom and understanding, and shown a wee bit of the presence of Jesus's Love, that she could learn and grow her walk. This Sister needs our help and prayers now. Not judgmental or anything like that. But she does need to be able to receive this. To open her heart unto God and be receptive to receive from the Lord.

I get feelings of not measuring up. That I fail too much, I that I am an unprofitable servant. What was that parable of the three servants who were given talents all about anyway? I don't want to be an unprofitable servant. So I will try. I will speak my testimony about my Lord and my personal experience with Him. I try to obey and keep His words.
But she was unfair. With a couple backhand comments she dismissed everything everyone showed her. Oh it's taken out of context blah blah blah and you shouldn't judge me...Who was? and then she holds up secular wisdom like it is some sort of mighty power to be worshipped and believed over God's words. So should we be politically correct and not speak of the Lord to her? that doesn't mean that she is right. And it doesn't mean that she is bad or worthless. It means that she is like everyone else. Not perfect and certainly needs our help and support and encouragement, not just patted on the back and given secular type validation.

Our sanctification is a time consuming process. It doesn't happen over night. I'm merely trying to help. To obey the Lord and walk in love and encouragement to all. I don't think that she fights fair. No one has attacked her. And she plays that victim card. I am not angry. I understand she needs help. And I want to obey and to be profitable to the Kingdom of God. so I try. I am certainly willing to back off a little if the mods feel I am going too far or something. But I don't think that I have. And no one other than her is telling me that I am wrong. And I know why that is. Because it is truth, and what they must have been learning themselves. So I take the mods silence to me as a kind of endorsement that I speak truth and love. And I am only trying to help. And I will certainly be praying for this young lady. That is truth also. I am not high and mighty, I am no one. but my Lord is big, and true. And I want to speak of Him. And Brother, honestly, her acting like I am attacking her does not make it true.

 

[Edward]

Wicked thought for the day........start my own forum
Also unrealistic and delusional at the same time

brother, you don't want to run a forum. Do you have any clue how much crap that Stovebolts has to endure and deal with to run and own this place?! I have a small clue about it. And even if he is not perfect, I have had that man in my home and he is a good man. No one is perfect and you can't please everyone. So it is a tremendous amount of pressure to do what he does. I respect him but do not envy his position. I don't think I could do what he does.

 

[humble soul]

I used to be a much different person than I am now. I've never really been a punk but I have always been very indignant about people doing things to me or falsely accusing me. And I had what I thought was an honorable heart but felt justified unto revenge for being done wrong. Maybe my spirit was new but my soul was the same. But after my accident and I recommitted my life to the Lord...these past 11 years now the thing that the Lord has been teaching me most and is always coming back to, is that he is not an angry God but a loving God. And loves us more than we comprehend. This repeated teaching to me has over time changed my heart. do not react the same as I used to. I am able to see the changes within me. And I am able to see things a bit better than I used to. And I know these things are real.

our Lord, my Lord. has shown me that He IS high. He IS mighty. The enemy is no match for our Lord. He is Almighty God. And He is so mighty that if He were to turn up the volume of his glory and presence, He would not even have to engage the enemy. He would destroy them with the brightness of His approach. The enemy will die immediately He is so mighty. Ad if you think about it, Jesus only did what He sees and hears the Father do and say. And we know that Jesus said He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. So we actually have the entire trinity within us. And my friend, if God be with us, then who could stand against us. I know that He is mightier than any ailment. He is bigger than diabetes.

So this should be on everyone's lips. That is huge. So to brush off scripture and to talk as if an ailment is mightyer or something shows that there's something else going on too. And no person is the enemy. I am not, you are not, the young lady is not. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and evil spirits. It is all of the demonic oppression that we all are under. And lately they have turned up the volume on the spiritual attacks on people because time is short. So I think if some of us pray for this young lady that she be protected, given wisdom and understanding, and shown a wee bit of the presence of Jesus's Love, that she could learn and grow her walk. This Sister needs our help and prayers now. Not judgmental or anything like that. But she does need to be able to receive this. To open her heart unto God and be receptive to receive from the Lord.

I get feelings of not measuring up. That I fail too much, I that I am an unprofitable servant. What was that parable of the three servants who were given talents all about anyway? I don't want to be an unprofitable servant. So I will try. I will speak my testimony about my Lord and my personal experience with Him. I try to obey and keep His words.
But she was unfair. With a couple backhand comments she dismissed everything everyone showed her. Oh it's taken out of context blah blah blah and you shouldn't judge me...Who was? and then she holds up secular wisdom like it is some sort of mighty power to be worshipped and believed over God's words. So should we be politically correct and not speak of the Lord to her? that doesn't mean that she is right. And it doesn't mean that she is bad or worthless. It means that she is like everyone else. Not perfect and certainly needs our help and support and encouragement, not just patted on the back and given secular type validation.

Our sanctification is a time consuming process. It doesn't happen over night. I'm merely trying to help. To obey the Lord and walk in love and encouragement to all. I don't think that she fights fair. No one has attacked her. And she plays that victim card. I am not angry. I understand she needs help. And I want to obey and to be profitable to the Kingdom of God. so I try. I am certainly willing to back off a little if the mods feel I am going too far or something. But I don't think that I have. And no one other than her is telling me that I am wrong. And I know why that is. Because it is truth, and what they must have been learning themselves. So I take the mods silence to me as a kind of endorsement that I speak truth and love. And I am only trying to help. And I will certainly be praying for this young lady. That is truth also. I am not high and mighty, I am no one. but my Lord is big, and true. And I want to speak of Him. And Brother, honestly, her acting like I am attacking her does not make it true.

I wasn't condemning your response to her. She can be a tricky customer to deal with. Worse than me sometimes. ?

 

[humble soul]

brother, you don't want to run a forum. Do you have any clue how much crap that Stovebolts has to endure and deal with to run and own this place?! I have a small clue about it. And even if he is not perfect, I have had that man in my home and he is a good man. No one is perfect and you can't please everyone. So it is a tremendous amount of pressure to do what he does. I respect him but do not envy his position. I don't think I could do what he does.

Are you saying I can't have a wicked thought?

 

[humble soul]

Reasons not to start a forum;
Takes up too much time
Become glued to screens all day
Cost?
Lack of technology skill
Vague mission statement won't attract anyone

 

[Edward]

Are you saying I can't have a wicked thought?

Not at all Brother. Anyone can have a wicked thought I'm just saying that you might not realize the pressures involved in taking on a position such as that.

 

[Hospes]

I wasn't condemning your response to her. She can be a tricky customer to deal with. Worse than me sometimes. ?

No way!

 

[Hopeful]

But it is debatable.
I mean if you wish I come to an early end, that is kind of wicked if you are really serious.
Goodwill is clearly important. We can at least try to wish goodwill on our enemies, even we don't feel like it.
But I think the main argument for the other side is, as long as we don't turn wicked thoughts into wicked actions. For anyone who suffers religious scrupulosity,it can be a real torment. Punishing yourself for having wicked thoughts is not healthy. At least we can admit to ourselves "I felt like punching that guy's lights out". Admit it. Own it. But as long as you don't act on it. We all have angry thoughts. I guess if we have too many, we need some counselling.
This is where ruthless honesty is important. Maybe some are afraid to admit to themselves, they have bad thoughts. Isn't that like lying to yourself? Being a good Christian doesn't mean erasing all bad thoughts. It might mean praying for good ones though. Healthier ones. Life affirming ones. Does Jesus really want us to be totally sinless in this life? I don't think so. I suspect he values humility and good attitude more.

It is good to realize that temptations are not sin.
Acting on them is the sin.
Thank God for these words from James 4:7..."Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."